When it comes to biblical movies, the old gag goes something
like this: “The book was better.” All jokes aside, it’s a philosophy I actually
agree with, since I’ve found deeper meaning in scripture than I have from any
movie screen. All too often, film producers go for the “hard sell” in religious
movies, perhaps in blatant attempts to pander to religious folks who thirst for
entertainment that aligns with their deep spiritual beliefs. Risen, starring Joseph Fiennes as a
Roman involved in the crucifixion of Jesus is not one of those “pandering”
movies.

Fiennes plays Clavius, a powerful Roman tribune working
under the direction of Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth) in Jerusalem. Charged with
keeping the peace and the Sanhedrin in check, Clavius shows up at the
Crucifixion just after Yeshua (a.k.a, Jesus - played by Cliff Curtis) has died.
Fearing shenanigans from Jesus’ followers, the Sanhedrin demands that the
Romans watch the fallen Lord’s tomb to make sure no one steals the body and
fakes his foretold resurrection.

>>> SPOILER ALERT<<<

According to the Good Book, Jesus’ body disappears from the
tomb, and the Roman guards flee when otherworldly beings show up on three days
after the Crucifixion. Clavius is charged with getting to the bottom of the
mystery, and is appointed Lucius (Tom Felton), a lieutenant to help him. As
Clavius rounds up Jesus’ followers, he begins to doubt his own sense of logic.
His loyalties are especially challenged when he meets the risen Lord, and he is
forced to choose between his duty and the man who claims to be savior of the
world.

Risen has a
tendency to bog down in a lot of Biblical politics, making some of the film
suffer from a deliberate lack of pacing. There are plenty of expository
speeches from Romans, Christians and Jewish sides of biblical history, making
me wonder if there weren’t more subtle ways of getting the religious point
across.

Even with these procedural issues, Risen has a lot going for it. The first is Fiennes’ performance,
which gives an otherwise Hallmark Channel quality production a little more gravitas.
Second, and perhaps the movie’s greatest triumph is the casting of Cliff Curtis
as Jesus, and his personable portrayal of the risen Lord. Curtis’ performance
as the Son of God is less god-like, and more like a man who sincerely loves
everyone he meets. He’s an accessible man, not a glowing deity. It is perhaps
the most endearing and pleasant depiction of Jesus I’ve ever seen, and
certainly aligns with my own beliefs as to the nature of Christ.

All casting triumphs aside, I sincerely hold to the idea
that one cannot (and perhaps should not) establish religious beliefs based on
films that are tailored to manipulate your emotions. Such spiritual depth comes
from careful study and service (something Jesus preached often) and not from
paid actors. A film like Risen succeeds
in reinforcing already-held beliefs (like mine), without pandering.

*Interesting note: In
Risen, Tom Felton plays a man named Lucius, working for a man (Joseph Fiennes)
played by the actor who is the brother of the actor (Ralph Fiennes) who played
Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies. Felton played Draco in the HP movies, the
son Lucius, who served Voldemort. Cinematic wizardry?